Tuesday, May 05, 2009

On Tattoos and Male Girlfriends

What the hell do I want to be branded with for the rest of my life? How do you explain to your great grandchildren that blob on your forearm used to be a sexy hula girl?

So though I've been enamored of tattooing for awhile, I just never felt passionate enough about anything to carry around with me for the rest of my life.

Things change, interests change, personalities change. If I got a tat everytime I was absolutely in love with something my body would be covered in Michael Jackson tattoos or GI Joe or The Golden Girls.

Think on your own life. What has been constant throughout all the cities you've lived and all the people you known? What can you honestly draw a straight line from this moment to moments in the past and moments in the future.

Most people would say their spouse. And I am that person, yet, my wife and I are very superstitious and one of the strongest curses in the world is the tattooing of a significant others' names.

So for me, the major constant in my life is and always has been music. Underneath this buttoned up exterior beats the heart of a bass player.

I've been doing it for around 15 years now. And I've been making money at it for 13 or so. Not great money, but enough to say that I am and was a professional musician.

Over the years I've played as a session guy, a fill in dude, and founder of bands. I've worn different hats and changed my playing style four or five times.

So I thought a bass clef is a fitting brand.

I currently am not in a band. And I've been in and out of bands for over a decade. Why? If I love it so much why am I always bouncing around.

Because, dear reader, I'm not cut out for multiple girlfriends.

Being in a band at the beginning is great. It's also just like a relationship. You do everything together, you swap stories, call each other late at night. Instead of sex, you jam.

Everything is perfect.

Until one day, those little personality quirks begin to build and build until you realize you've surrounded yourself with assholes.

In my advancing age I get to the point a little too fast.

But after some healing time and soul searching, I start to get an itch in my soul. Then I start slumming around Guitar shops, chatting up local players. Flirting. Sometimes I score a one night stand/jam. Other times I get a call back. Sometimes we jam everyday for weeks and flame out.

The last few bands I've been in I've been married. So I have a divided loyalty. It's like 99-1 for my wife, just so you know. I don't have such a keen yearning anymore. And while my wife thinks that's sad, I couldn't be happier. There's only so much relationship Brandon I can dole out and I'd rather save it all for her.

So my tattoo is a tribute for that ocean of boys that I've left behind.

1 comment:

I'm proud to be one of your bitches called out for multiple late-night booty calls. You're an abusive sumbitch, but you always leave us wanting more. Or hating your guts. Fortunately, I never found myself in the latter category.